Sharing Reflections On Christianity

Category Archives: Uncategorized

Seriously, have you ever thought, or even worried, that a FULL and ABSOLUTE surrender to God and Christ Jesus, including practicing the presence of God (please reference the Category by this same title) might just cause you to lose some of what you now consider to be your most cherished comforts and ‘fun’ in life?

Let’s try to put this in perspective with an analogy.

It is pretty much like a totally destitute, beggarly and homeless person pondering and worrying about what it would be like giving up her or his present life style for that of a multi-billionaire!

Of course, there are limitations to any analogy and what I am emphasizing with this one is the ultimate value when one choice is compared to another….in other words, the HOLY when compared to the human.

Furthermore, even in this lifetime, if we hang in there and let our Father and our Brother have Their way with us, we may reach ‘heavenly heights’ of Spiritual wonderment and joy that defy human understanding….just as the present day and past Christian mystics such as Brother Lawrence experienced. For more reading on mystics please reference the following Categories:

Practicing The Presence Of God

Letters From A Modern Mystic

Why Not Be A Mystic

Of course, there will be some painful and discomforting times along the way just as it would be for any human addict withdrawing from drugs and alcohol. But these are not worthy to be compared with what we will experience presently from bearing the “fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22) and the future glory to come (Romans 8:18)

This is yet another glorious reason to love, adore and be in total awe of our Father as well as our Brother and King Christ Jesus!

That God (and Jesus) is NEVER partial in dealing with anyone as written in Romans 2:11 and Ephesians 6:9 simply means He and our Lord are always FAIR, whether someone is a Christian or an unbeliever. This is well covered in Romans 2:11-16.

However, the significance of this wonderful truth extends way further than this as it is applied to each person who has ever lived. For instance, someone may appear to be carrying a heavier load or burden than another individual, apart from chastisement for a sin or sins.

But rest assured that this ‘someone’ has been properly fitted to handle that seemingly heavier load or burden. This is wonderfully illustrated in 1 Corinthians 12:12-25 and reveals how God and Jesus have fitted each member of the human body to perform its particular and designated function. The foot is never called upon to carry out the task of the nose….and the list goes on.

Likewise, another nice illustration is shown in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 concerning the gifts of the Holy Spirit. If someone is gifted to perform healings then don’t expect her or him to speak prophecies….they have not been so fitted.

This is true concerning EVERY situation a human will experience in her or his life. For instance, if they are given a crippling, physical infirmity to endure then they are fitted with that extra ability from God and Jesus that you and I would NOT have. This is much like a blind person inheriting that extra-ordinary sense of hearing enabling them to cope with the loss of their sight, as well the mental capacity to handle their situation as well.

If a person appears to be raised in a very unpleasant and even disgusting environment and at a seeming disadvantage on many fronts, rest assured our Father and His Son have equipped that individual (whether believer or non-believer) to properly and successfully handle their situation….an ability you and I would not have unless They would properly fit us if we were in that same situation.

There is a very good example in Exodus 16:18 of how God and Jesus ALWAYS balanceout EVERY situation for both believers and non-believers during our lives. In this narrative, the ones that gathered a lot to eat had none left over and the ones who gathered the lesser amounts still had no need for more….it ALWAYS nicely balances out….FAIR ‘n BALANCED!

Quite simply, what might scare and defeat me you could handle like a breeze if our Father and our Savior were to try you in that manner and then properly fitted you to handle it. And, how beautiful is the truth in 1 Corinthians 10:13 clearly stating NO ONE will EVER be tried beyond what we are able to bear.

How blessed and fortunate are ALL humans to have such a One as God is as well as His Son, but especially Christians.

There is a poem called “The Changed Cross.” It represents a weary one who thought that her cross was surely heavier than those of others whom she saw about her, and she wished that she might choose an other instead of her own. She slept, and in her dream she was led to a place where many crosses lay, crosses of different shapes and sizes. There was a little one most beauteous to behold, set in jewels and gold. “Ah, this I can wear with comfort,” she said. So she took it up, but her weak form shook beneath it. The jewels and the gold were beautiful, but they were far too heavy for her.

Next she saw a lovely cross with fair flowers entwined around its sculptured form. Surely that was the one for her. She lifted it, but beneath the flowers were piercing thorns which tore her flesh.

At last, as she went on, she came to a plain cross, without jewels, without carvings, with only a few words of love inscribed upon it. This she took up and it proved the best of all, the easiest to be borne. And as she looked upon it, bathed in the radiance that fell from Heaven, she recognized her own old cross. She had found it again, and it was the best of all and lightest for her.

God knows best what cross we need to bear. We do not know how heavy other people’s crosses are. We envy someone who is rich; his is a golden cross set with jewels, but we do not know how heavy it is. Here is another whose life seems very lovely. She bears a cross twined with flowers. If we could try all the other crosses that we think lighter than our own, we would at last find that not one of them suited us so well as our own.–Glimpses through Life’s Windows ”

End of excerpt.

Scripture verses and examples in the Bible clearly support the truth in this story and you can let me know if you need help finding them.